SAITEX – more business opportunities than anywhere else in Africa

It’s here – its bigger and its better. If you are looking for creative new ideas, innovative products and unlimited opportunities for new start-ups, expanding or improving your business, then you need to visit SAITEX – the Southern African International Trade Exhibition.

Taking place on the 22-24 June at the Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, Johannesburg – South Africa, SAITEX is renowned as the continent’s biggest and most effective business opportunities event.

The aim of SAITEX is to actively promote new or expanding business opportunities for African entrepreneurs, agents, distributors, importers, wholesalers and retailers.

SAITEX connects business people and companies from all over the world, and provides a networking platform and launch pad into Africa’s expanding markets.

Last year at SAITEX, 980 companies from 42 countries displayed thousands of products in 3,000 categories to 16,800 visitors from 52 countries.

But SAITEX 2014 is expected to see the exhibitor count break the 1,000 record, according to show organisers, Exhibition Management Services.

With over 700 exhibitors from 40 countries showcasing more than 3,500 products and services at the upcoming Southern African International Trade Exhibition (SAITEX), the three-day event plays a significant role in fostering international relations whilst boosting trade opportunities, says John Thomson of Exhibition Management Services, organisers of the event.

“The biggest benefit for SAITEX participants is the sheer quantity of products and services on show, and the almost limitless business opportunities these offer,” says Thomson.

The long-established international exhibition celebrates its 21st birthday this year, and continues to enjoy strong, ongoing participation and support from its loyal – and increasing – multinational audience.

According to Thomson, the growth in participation by Africans – there are visitors from 23 countries in Africa – means SAITEX continues to be an effective springboard and strategic gateway to Africa’s increasingly lucrative new markets.

Johannesburg Supports SAITEX

The City of Joburg (COJ) has thrown its weight behind the show. Reginald Pholo, Director of Trade and Investment Promotion at COJ, says Johannesburg exhibitors now have a strong foothold in Southern Africa, due to the dynamic business platform that is SAITEX.

“The show aligns perfectly with the City’s ‘Growth and Development strategy 2040’, which plans to grow local industries and exporters, and in the long-term diversify the local economy into corridors with diversified sectors,” says Pholo.

“Last year the City and its exhibitors generated deals worth more than R0,5-billion through SAITEX.”

Second Afro Lanka Forum at SAITEX

SAITEX will again play venue to the Afro Lanka Forum, a business generation platform convened by the City of Joburg’s Department of Economic Development, in partnership with the Sri Lankan High Commission.

A high-level delegation from Sri Lanka organised by the Export Development Agency and the Chamber of Young Lankan Enterprises (COYLE), will attend the Forum to interact with local enterprises, focusing on joint ventures, job creation and industrialisation in the export sector. The theme of the one-day session is ‘Reviving and inculcating a spirit of Youth Enterprise’.

SAITEX Boosts Gauteng’s Economy

SAITEX, together with its sister show, Africa’s Big Seven, the biggest food and beverage trade show in Africa, boosted the Gauteng economy to the value of over R80 million in 2013.

“SAITEX is trusted by governments of countries such as Brazil, China, India, Pakistan, and Turkey, to deliver results for their export-orientated manufacturers. This trust is evidenced by these countries’ national pavilions supporting SAITEX each year,” says show organiser John Thomson.

The Indian pavilion alone will host 60 companies, while China’s pavilion will host over 200 companies. Italy will host their first ever pavilion in the show’s 21 year history.

Business Opportunities Galore at Africa’s Big Seven

As a showcase for new and exciting foods, beverages and equipment from around the world, Africa’s Big Seven (AB7) is the biggest and most spectacular exhibition on the continent.

It’s also a versatile and highly effective platform for networking across the international food industry, and provides thousands of leads and opportunities for business – with more than 300 exhibitors from over 40 countries on the lookout for new importers, distributors, agents or representatives, but most importantly, new markets and new customers.

Just five of the hundreds of opportunities visitors can explore this year are:

“We are looking for a distributor willing to help develop a market for our quality margarine, fats and oils, not only in South Africa but in the Southern African region as well,” says International Sales Manager Antonius Loekito.

Ready-Made Puff Pastry: Sydney Cake House is a supplier of Halaal frozen bakery foods from Malaysia. “We are looking for a partner who can represent our company in the Southern African region and import and distribute our range of frozen pastries into the local markets,” says Export Manager Nicole Chaung.

The company’s products include puff pastries with a range of fillings such as curry chicken and spicy anchovies, its popular shell curry puff in barbeque chicken, curry chicken and black pepper chicken flavours, as well as its dessert-type pastries with pineapple, peanut butter, red bean and many other fillings.

Starter Cultures for Meat Applications: French company Biovitec will be at AB7 to find a South African distributor for its starter cultures for fermented meat and sausages.

Francois Sovet, Export Manager at Biovitec says the products cover applications from traditional French or Italian salamis up to more specific products such as sujuk or halaal poultry dry sausages. “We also expect to find partners for the South African market at AB7,” says Sovet

Fast Frozen Food Preparation From Italy: Italian manufacturer Fructae will also be at the show to explore opportunities. The company produces machines for instantly preparing frozen foods, and these are mainly intended for bars and pubs, restaurants and ice cream parlours.

To pre-register as a visitor, receive free online magazine subscriptions, and log into the Business Matchmaking initiative, go to www.exhibitionsafrica.com – visitor registration.

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